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Some people are aptly named. JoAnne Self was not. Her friends – and there were many – insist the late La Conner school district staff member and coach was one of the most unselfish people they knew. Self died Jan. 8 in Sedro-Woolley. Her giving nature was noticed. The school district, appreciative of the various roles she filled there, years ago established an annual scholarship award in her honor to recognize those students who best emulate her example of selflessly contributing to the campus and community. Whatever her assigned...
On one issue, all in western Washington are agreed. Saving wild salmon runs is a priority. What is not clear cut, as testimony during a virtual State House of Representatives committee hearing indicates, is what sacrifices must be made, and by whom, to preserve Washington’s signature migratory fish. House Bill 1838, designed to protect salmon habitat areas, is a key element in Gov. Jay Inslee’s $187 million salmon recovery program. It is named the Lorraine Loomis Act for the late Swinomish fisheries director and chair of the Northwest Indian Fi...
Kevin McCarthy, the congressional house minority leader, was asked what he thought Joe Biden’s greatest accomplishment in his first year in office was? His answer was that he managed to change Americans long held opinion of Jimmy Carter. Denny Sather Greater La Conner...
Gov. Jay Inslee recently patronized the Swinomish and other local Indian tribes drumming up support for the proposed Loomis Act, HB 1838. (Weekly News, Dec. 22) The act is intended to “save salmon” and would impose enormous costs on local farmers, landowners and taxpayers by requiring the planting of trees and vegetation on public and private lands bordering streams and waterways. The Skagit Valley Herald’s lead article on Jan. 23, “Creating Division,” addressed local opposition to the proposal. Further, an opinion piece published in the Everet...
The newly formed La Conner Town Council began laying the foundation for 2022 by finalizing committee assignments and tightening up ordinance language related to hazardous buildings during its one-hour Zoom session last week. New Councilmember Ivan Carlson, III flagged what he termed “broad” and “subjective” terminology in an ordinance section for abating structural dangers, questioning non-tangible references to infringements upon aesthetic and sensory standards. “They’re too broad,” said Carlson. “I feel there would be unintended cons...
Remember the sun? It was out for a bit in mid-January. Then, a weekend turning into a week, and then more, of morning fogs, bringing cold, damp and gloom, the days of fog extending into weeks, bringing more morning cold, damp and gloom. It becomes hard to believe, as Thoreau wrote, “ But alert and healthy natures remember that the sun rose clear.” But it does. Even if February’s morning starts continue the overcast and damp handed off by January, know that we have made it. When the sun is out, even as a white ball on the other side of cloud...
When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe. – John Muir Here is an editorial aimed to gain agreement from all sides for restoring riparian tree habitat to achieve robust, comprehensive, long-term and adequately financed investment into ensuring cold water for salmon migration waterways:...
Roger Robinson passed away peacefully of kidney cancer on Jan. 7, 2022, at his home perched above Rosario Beach near Anacortes, Washington, with his wife at his side. Their children spent Christmas with them, knowing it would be the last one with all four of them together. Roger was born on Jan. 26, 1950 in Seattle, Washington. Growing up, he spent several weeks each summer with his grandmother in Anacortes, biking around town, taking swimming lessons at Cranberry Lake on Whidbey Island and...
It is clear that individuals and families need better options for long-term care. This is especially true in rural communities like ours, where people want the resources to age or take care of a loved one at home. Private insurance used to be an option, but it is not affordable for most of us now. Worse, many plans do not cover pre-existing conditions. This leaves families with terrible choices. Many spend their life savings, sell their homes and go into bankruptcy to pay for long-term care. We even see couples married for over 50 years get...
A standout La Conner high school wrestler went a long distance to spend a short time on the mat last weekend. But that was a good thing in terms of Delaney Cobbs preparing for big matches ahead. Cobbs, a senior wrestling on a co-op basis with the Burlington-Edison High School girls’ program, captured top honors in her weight class at a two-day invitational meet in Othello. She pinned four opponents in a combined time under four minutes to win the 190-pound weight division championship. It was a...
Good things are well worth the wait. Just ask La Conner High School boys’ head basketball coach C.J. Woods. Woods, eyeing his team’s Jan. 25 NW2B matchup at Friday Harbor since the start of the season, saw his patience rewarded with a tense 54-51 road win over his high school alma mater. With the hard-fought triumph, the Braves improved to 5-8 overall and 3-3 in conference standings. For Woods, whose Friday Harbor teammate, Collin Williamson, is a member of the Wolverines’ coaching staff, the outcome could hardly have been sweeter. “It was a h...
There was no letdown for La Conner after its big mid-week girls’ hoops win at Skyline. The Lady Braves posted a pair of 50-plus point triumphs when they returned to conference action with road dates Friday at Orcas Island and Saturday at Mount Vernon Christian. La Conner (17-1 overall; 8-0 in league) defeated Orcas 88-29 and downed MVC 88-31, completing a stretch of four straight victories away from home in just five days. “It was our fourth game of the week – all away games and three long road trips – but the girls came out and...
The La Conner High School girls’ basketball team is willing to play anyone, anytime, anywhere. For the 2B Lady Braves, that meant a rare Wednesday night tipoff opposite 4A Skyline in Sammamish last week. Despite the unusual game night, a first-time opponent from a large urban school district and suburban King County location, the result was much the same as other scores La Conner has posted enroute to a 15-1 overall mark and 8-0 conference record. The team easily defeated Skyline 71-42 one night after routing NW2B rival Friday Harbor 105-23, a...
Following last week’s story on the building of the Country Inn Repeated studies have shown that success breeds success. It’s an equation that added up quite nicely for Rick Thompson and his Country Inn partners. After some changes within the original partnership, bringing aboard Jim MacLean and Tom Whyte, the inn group repeated its successful formula by unveiling plans to build a second hotel on the North First Street waterfront. “There were two failed proposals before us,” said Thompson. “But w...
The La Conner Braves had momentum going into weekend conference hoops action at Orcas Island and Mount Vernon Christian, having won a 54-51 thriller against the Wolverines at Friday Harbor Jan. 25. But momentum, in sports, can be a fleeting thing and the team found themselves on the reverse side of the equation opposite Orcas Friday night. The Vikings hard-fought 55-51 victory broke a virtual tie with La Conner for third place in NW2B/1B standings. They held on, withstanding a 16-4 fourth quarter Braves rally. “Orcas played well against u...
Monday, January 24 1:41 p.m.: Hot off rack – Report of a jacket theft worth $185. The caller described the suspect as thin wearing a puffy jacket. S. 1st St., La Conner. Thursday, January 27 12:47 p.m.: Broken window – Report of a cold vehicle prowl. The caller said a window was broken, but nothing was taken. Beaver Marsh Rd., Greater La Conner. 12:49 p.m.: Birders birding – Report of a parking problem. The caller said people are parking in the no parking area looking at the geese. Fir Island Rd., Conway. 4:14 p.m.: Cash in...
La Conner schools are big on tradition. And the district’s newest tradition promises to be among the most significant in school history. The bright blue image of an eagle bearing an interlocking L and C, created by Swinomish artist Jeanette Quintasket, was introduced during the Jan. 24 school board meeting as the new La Conner Braves mascot. The colorful icon reflects regional Coast Salish artistic imagery and replaces prior Braves graphics that for decades depicted Hollywoodish Plains I...
This recipe was a taste test of Purple Brussel Sprouts. We received one stalk through the CSA of Boldly Grown Farms. This recipe was also a new venture of cooking recipes in a basket-type Air Fryer. I bought the Air Fryer on Black Friday. I keep it handy directly on a kitchen counter, to use morning or evening. Ingredients Purple Brussel Sprouts, 12, cut in half or thirds Water, 2 cups warm Olive oil, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon Black pepper, ¼ teaspoon Air Fryer parchment...
La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes led his dream team of advocates for $625,000 in state funds for the new La Conner Swinomish Library figuratively through the halls of the state government last Thursday. Hayes coordinated 15 minute Zoom meetings with Joe Timmons, Gov. Jay Inslee’s Northwest Washington Regional Outreach Representative and LD 10 Sen. Ron Muzzall and Reps. Greg Gilday and Dave Paul. The governor and legislators understand the setbacks in construction projects from the coronavirus p...
